Vertically adjustable wheel suspension means



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 28, 1953 c. E. cARTwRlGHT VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE WHEEL SUSPENSION MEANS Filed Feb. 1o, 1949 April 28, 1953 C. E. CARTWRIG HT VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE WHEEL SUSPENSION MEANS Filed Feb. l0, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Cecil E. Cartwright April 28, 1953 c. E. cARTwRlGHT VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE WHEEL SUSPENSION MEANS Filed Feb. l0, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I 26 96 /IU Inventor Cecil E. Car/wright B, @Maa/Z5@ ana/Wawy @Mam Patented Apr. 28, 1953 Astares forel-CE V"Vliltll()ALLY ADJUSTABLE WHEEL kSUSPENSIN. MEANS Gecil.=E...Car-twr ight, Corpus Christi,;'liex. ViAippiiuzation February 10, 1949, Serial No.1`75g536 (Cl. 28B-A4) Claims.

"Thisiinvention relates'ftoa. trailer. for transporting .and launching a boat and has for its "primary object to Vfacilitate .the handling of` a `:trovv boat andenable it to be transported in a condition ready tobe easilyflaunched, and under the f control of. the user` at all' times.

.Another object is ,i properly to cushion the trailer to :protect theboat from road shocks, and l rvat `thesame time enablethe trailer to be lowered .fso..that the boat .maybe launched in relatively l-.vlshallovv `Water without. interference by the trailer.

Stillanother object is to provide a temporary .-.anchoragefor 'the boat after it has been launched and to enable the `boat to `be launched-With an foccupant OrbCcupants without in any Way eX .posing the occupants to wetting by the `body of wvvaterinvvhich .the `boat is launched.

The above and other l obj ects. may be attained .by A.employing this invention which .embodies wamongitsfeaturesla tongue, a cross member xed to the tongue intermediate the ends thereof, a

draft coupling carried by said tongue at one end othereof, a boat cradle `carried by the tongue at l,the .end oppostethe .draft coupling, a boat cradle Vmounted on the'tongue intermediate the `cross member. andthe draft coupling,` and wheels carried by the cross member, for supporting the l tongue in spaced relationtothe ground.

vOther features include `a `flexible member de- `.tachably coupled to opposite ends ,of each boat Acradle forextending .around a` boatresting onthe .cradlesand holding said boat on thetrailer dur- .ing the transportation of .theboat .Still `other' features include a. staff. mounted on the draft tongue between. fthe. adjustable boat cradle andthedraft coupling, means for detachably, couplingto the. staff thebovv of the boat .resting `on `.the cradles,A stakes extending` upwardly .,telescopically .enteringrthe` forward end of the `tongue ofthe trailerland means to hold the draft ..tongue..in, various adjusted positions relative to the trailer tongue.

` Inthedraurings,

`,.llgure lis asidevievv of .aboattrailer embody- .ing .the...features o'..this invention, certainnpor- 4tions thereof being. broken .away more clearly` to illustrate certain .details .of construction,

.'Figure; 21s a` templari. .view of.. the..trailer, Ali i.5ure".3 is a front view in elevationof the "trailer,

'Figure 4 .is .a fragmentary .enlarged sectional `*vievvj taken substantially. along: the line 4-4 .of liFigure- 3,

movement. draft tongue l2 .oppositethat which enters` the Figure 5 is a `fragmentary enlarged lsectional view taken substantiallyalong thelne-55 of `Figure 2,

Figure 6 isa fragmentary.` enlarged sectional i view taken substantiallyalong `the linetB-B rof Figure 2, and

Figure` is a fragmentary side view inelevation of a modified form of stand.

Figure 3 isa side elevational viewof the trailer in position `for launching a boat carriedthereby.

Referring to the, drawings in` detail, .this improved trailer comprisesamain tongue I0 of tubular constructiontinto one endof which is telescopica-Hy received a `draft tongue ,l2 which, like :the main tongue lil, is `of tubular construction,

and the tongue i8 is provided adjacent the end receiving the drafttongue with an opening I 4, Formed in the draft tongue i 2 .are longitudinally spaced openings I6, one of which isaligned with the opening. lil to receivea removable .pin .I8 by vmeans of Which the tongues :are heldin various adjusted positions .against relative `longitudinal A plug .20 is xedlin the end .of .the

main .tongue l0, and this plug is. equipped `vvith a suitable draft coupling 22.by .means offwhich the device. maybe detachablyA .coupled to a .traction vehicle (not shown). Fixed .tothe main. tongue lil intermediatethe ends thereof .and extending transversely with relationthereto is a cross .mem-

ber 2t which, in conjunction with the. main tongue it, forms the` chassis of the trailer. Fixed to the cross .member Zllnear each .end .thereof is a radially extending stop lug.25,.and removably i secured to each end of .thecross member is a stop plate. 28 `whichcooperates with theadjacent stop 2t in. retaining the AWheel yokesand the adjusting mechanism thereof in place on .the cross member.

l Like the tongue lll, thecrossmember 2l is formed of circular cylindrical stock` which may .betubular -in form. `A cross. arm 30 isnxed to the tongue lll at the end remote from the-endin Which the .draft tongue l2'. is received, and theaxis of the `cross arzn til lies inta horizontalplane and-parallel Withthe axis of the'icrossmember Ell. .A suitable pad :frais securedtin/ any suitable manner to the cross arm` 3B. on the upper'side `thereof and `formed `adjacent oppositeends.. in the. cross Varm `are aligningvertical openings Safor the reception of the pad holding pins, to bemore fully `hereinafter described. Attached to opposite ends of the cross arm 3B areeyes trito which opposite ends of a flexible member-Sii `are adapted to `be connected when aboatis `in place on the trailer. Extending upwardly..through.the openings. 33 in l the cross arm iidare stems` 38,130 the upper ends of which arepivotaliy coupled inverted channel .members tl cuiufhich` suitablepadstz aresupnorted in any suitablemanner. `3e,..the pads Stand .42, together .with thef stems t3 andchannel members d, all cooperate to form a boat cradle designated generally Mat .the rear The cross arm .end of the tongue l Il.

Mounted on 'the'tongue l0 between the cross 3 member 24, and the end of the tongue through which the draft tongue |2 enters, in a sleeve 46 which carries a transversely extending cross arm 48 which, like the cross arm 30, is equipped with a pad 50. Opposite ends of the cross arm 43 are provided with eyes 52, and, like the cross arm 30, the cross arm 48 is provided adjacent opposite ends with vertical openings 54 for the reception of stems 55 of channel members 58 carrying pads t. The equipment just described forms a boat cradle designated generally at 62 which corresponds to the cradle 44 except for the fact that it is adjustable longitudinally on the tongue I0. Mounted for longitudinal adjustment on the tongue i0 between the boat cradle t2 and the forward end of the tongue through which the draft tongue l2 enters it is a sleeve 64 from which extends upwardly a standard 60 over the upper end of which is tted a sleeve @0 which carries at its upper end a hook 'm for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter explained. A suitable bracket arm l2 is fixed to the standard St and limits the downward movement of the sleeve SS thereover, and these parts cooperate to form a staif designated generally I4, to the upper end of which the bow of a boat Vresting on the cradles 44 and 62 is attached.

Mounted for longitudinal adjustment along the tongue l0 adjacent the end thereof receiving the draft tongue l2 is a sleeve 'iii to one side of which is welded or otherwise secured a vertically extending sleeve 18 in which a column 80 is adjustably supported. This column is provided adjacent its lower end with a foot or base 02, and extending upwardly from the sleeve 'F6 is a tubular guide 84 which aligns with an opening t0 formed in the sleeve 'f5 to receive the pin I8 previously described. Adjustment of the sleeve 'i5 on the column 30 is accomplished through the medium of a conventional set screw 88' which is actuated by a conventional hand lever 90.

Mounted for longitudinal sliding movement adjacent each end of the cross member 24, between the tongue l0 and the stops 2f, are sleeves 02 carrying upwardly extending stakes 94 which preferably extend outwardly as illustrated in Figure 3 and serve as guides for the sides of a boat resting on the boat cradles 44 and $2. The sleeves 22 are held in proper adjusted position on the cross member 24 by suitable set screws 96 so that the trailer may be employed for boats of different widths.

Mounted for rocking movement aboutthe cross member 24 adjacent opposite ends thereof are spaced aligned sleeves 98 of a fork designated generally |00. A suitable wheel |il2 is mounted between opposite legs |04 of each fork |00, and extending between the arms |04 of each fork above their respective wheels |02 is a cross bar |02. A suitable guard |08 encloses a segment of each wheel |02 and each guard |08 is supported on the arms |04 of the fork mil. Mounted .for rocking movement on the cross member 24 between each pair of sleeves 98 are sleeves H0, each of which carries an angle bracket H2, and extending between each angle bracket ||2 and the cross bar |06 of its respective fork |00 is a spring ||4 which serves yieldingly to sustain the trailer, and its load on the wheels |02. Each sleeve H0 is provided with a radial opening H6 which is surrounded by a radially extending tubular guide ||0 in which a retaining pin |20 is received. The cross member 24 is provided with peripherally spaced radial openings |22 for the reception of the pin |20 in order that the fork |00 may be yieldingly supported in various adjusted positions about the axis of the cross member. A suitable handle |24 extends upwardly and outwardly from each sleeve ||0 and serves to enable the position of the sleeve ||0 to be manually controlled.

In a modified forni of the device, I may find it advantageous to employ a stand designated generally |26 (Fig. 7) comprising a column |28 which corresponds to the column previously described and is equipped with a foot or base |30 carrying a suitable fixture |32 in which a caster wheel |34 is mounted t0 rotate. The stand |26 may be substituted for the stand previously described, should it be found desirable to support the forward end of the tongue l0 for rolling contact with the surface being traversed.

In use, when it is desired to load a boat on the device, the pins |20 are extracted from the openings |22, thus allowing the forks |00 to swing about the axis of the cross member 24 so that the entire structure may be lowered to the ground. The boat B to be loaded is then placed in position on the boat cradles 44 and S2, it being understood that the cradle 62 has been adjusted longitudinally on the tongue 0 to engage the boat at the proper point. Also it will be understood that the stakes 94 have been adjusted on the cross member 24 to a position where the boat will easily fit between them. Upon placing the boat on the cradles 44 and 52 and between the stakes 04, the bow of the boat is coupled by means of a link L to the hook IQ of the staff I4, and with the boat thus positioned and held in place, the tongue is raised by rotating the sleeves ||0 by grasping the handles |24 and exerting lifting effort thereon. The sleeves H0 are rotated about the cross member 24 until one of the openings ||6 aligns with the vertical opening |22 in the cross member 24, at which time the pin |20 will drop by gravity, and lock the sleeves 0 against further rotary movement about the cross member 24. In this position, the weight of the chassis and the boat loaded thereon will be yieldingly sustained on the wheels |02 through the medium of the springs H4. The flexible member 36 is then secured to the eyes 34 of the cross arm 30 so as to embrace the boat B adjacent the stern thereof, and a similar ilexible member |30 is coupled to the eyes52 of the cross member 40 of the adjustable cradle 62, and secured across the bow of the boat. The draft coupling 22 of the draft tongue |2 is then connected to a traction vehicle in a conventional manner t0 support the forward end of the tongue I0, and upon turning the hand lever 00 to loosen the set screw 88, the column 00 may be lifted to move the foot or base 82 clear of the ground, and the parts clamped in this position by again tightening the set screw 88. The boat may then be transported to any suitable location and when it is desired that it be launched, the column 00 and the yfoot piece or base 82 are lowered to support the forward end or the tongue l0, whereupon the pin I0 may be extracted from its position in the openings I4, whereupon the draft tongue |2 may be extended to the desired position and the pin IB reinserted to engage in one of the openings |6 remote from the plug 20. In this way, the draft tongue may be extended so that it can be attached to a vehicle, and upon elevating the column 80 of the stand, the trailer with the boat thereon may be advanced into the water as suggested in Figure 8, it being understood that theiexible members 88 and i198 were released from their respective eyes 34 and 52 so that the boat may iioat free as suggested in Figure 8, and will be coupled to the trailer only through the medium of the link L and hook 70. Obviously, the boat may be loaded before the trailer is introduced into the water, so that the occupants of the boat need not become wet during the launching thereof. The trailer obviously may be left in the water as the only operation necessary for the further release of the boat is the disengagement of the link L from the hook 10. The boat, after having made its voyage on the water, may return to its original position over the trailer using the stakes 94 as the guides along with the staff 74, and upon manipulating the boat to enter the space between the stakes 94, it is obvious that the bow of the boat may again be coupled to the hook 'i0 through the medium of the link L. With the boat thus returned to its position above the trailer, it is obvious that upon exerting pull on the draft tongue I2, the trailer together with the boat coupled thereto will be moved upwardly away from the water in which the boat was launched, so that it will settle onto the saddles 44 and 82 and in its original position between the stakes 94, with the occupants remaining therein until the boat has been returned to dry land. By adjusting the position of the Wheels 492 about the axis of the cross member 24, it will be obvious that the height of the tongue lil may be governed according to the depth of water in which the boat is being launched, and the angle of the beach at which the boat is being launched.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A wheel mounting comprising a pair of spaced members each having first and second ends, an axle connecting said members adjacent the first ends thereof, a shaft, the second ends of said members being journaled in spaced relation on said shaft, a sleeve rotatably received on said shaft between said members, means for adjustably holding said shaft and sleeve in xed angular relation, and means connecting said sleeve and members for resiliently resisting angular displacement of said members relative to said sleeve, said nrst mentioned means including said sleeve and said shaft having aligned apertures, a tubular extension on said sleeve in alignment with said apertures, and a pin slidable in said extension extending through said apertures.

2. A Wheel mounting comprising a cross member, a pair of spaced aligned sleeves rockably mounted on the cross member, means fixed to the sleeves for mounting a wheel for rotation about an axis spaced from the cross member, a further sleeve rockably mounted on the cross member between the pair of sleeves, combined means for securing said further sleeve to the cross member in adjusted angular relation thereto and also for securing the further sleeve against longitudinal movement on the cross member to limit longitudinal movement of the pair of sleeves on the cross member, and spring means connecting the wheel mounting means and the further sleeve for yieldingly retaining the wheel mounting means in a predetermined angular relation with respect to the further sleeve, said combined means comprising the further sleeve and the cross member having aligned apertures, and a pin removably extending through the apertures.

8. The combination of claim 21 including a radially extending handle on the further sleeve, whereby the further sleeve may be rocked between adjusted positions.

4. A wheel suspension assembly comprising a shaft, a wheel mounting structure pivotally suspended from said shaft, a sleeve freely rotatably received on said shaft adjacent said wheel mounting structure, means engaging said sleeve and said shaft when said sleeve and said shaft are in a preselected position relative to one another releasably locking said sleeve against free rotation on said shaft, resilient means interconnecting said sleeve and said wheel mounting structure providing limited swinging movement of said wheel mounting structure with respect to said sleeve, a bracket on said sleeve and a member constituting a seat on said wheel mounting structure intermediate the ends thereof, said resilient means being disposed between and connected to said bracket and seat member.

A wheel suspension assembly comprising a shaft, a wheel mounting structure pivotally suspended from said shaft, a sleeve freely rotatably received on said shaft adjacent said wheel mounting structure, means engaging said sleeve and said shaft when said sleeve and said shaft are in a preselected position relative to one another releasably locking said sleeve against free rotation on said shaft, resilient means interconnecting said sleeve and said Wheel mounting structure providing limited swinging movement of said wheel mounting structure with respect to said sleeve, a bracket on said sleeve and a member constituting a seat on said wheelmounting i structure intermediate the ends thereof, said resilient means being disposed between and connected to said bracket and seat member, and lever means projecting from said sleeve circumferentially spaced from said releasable locking means for rotating the sleeve upon release of said releasable locking means.

CECIL E. CARTWRIGHT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,779,887 Melanson Oct. 28, 1930 2,087,299 Pribil July 20, 1937 2,141,781 Allen Dec. 27, 1938 2,174,063 Richards Sept. 26, 1939 2,198,270 Maranville Apr. 23, 1940 2,332,991 Commire Oct. 26, 1948 2,361,951 Livermon Nov. 7, 1944 2,374,883 Sampsell Apr. 24, 1945 2,442,248 Sampsell May 25, 1948 2,462,964 Heggen Mar. 1, 1949 2,465,098 Inskeep Mar. 22, 1949 2,494,144 Restall Jan. 10, 1950 2,497,072 Cooper Feb. 14, 1950 2,503,539 Yarbrough Apr. 11, 1950 2,506,699 Byrd May 9, 1950 2,507,980 Knapp May 16, 1950 2,525,506 Wiedman July 25, 1950 

